Of the countless photographs taken each year, only a relatively small number are ultimately displayed in frames for viewing. This is due in part to the expense normally associated with framing pictures, the difficulty of placing pictures in frames and the relatively small angle from which traditionally framed pictures may be viewed.
In the past, it has been common to display a single photograph in flat picture frame such as for mounting on a wall or for placing on a desk or table. This traditional flat picture frame is suitable for front viewing, but from the rear presents no viewing access to the photograph. As well, the flat picture frame can be costly and can be inappropriate for displaying a plurality of photographs, such as sequential or panoramic photographs.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,561,146 provides an alternative to the flat display frame, particularly a cube-shaped display frame for displaying pictures on several of the flat faces of the cube. In so doing, each displayed photograph stands apart with little natural flow from one photograph to the other.
In many instances, it is desirable to arrange photographs in a manner to depict the sequential passing of time in the photographs. For example, it may be desirable to frame a series of photographs showing the growth of a baby into a child and from a child into an adult, with the photographs arranged in a manner in which the eye is naturally drawn from one photograph to the next in a logical sequence.
In other situations it may be desirable to display the panoramic sweep of a particular scene as captured in a series of photographs taken at different angles. For example, to capture a scene of 180 degrees, one might use a normal lens to take a first picture, turn the camera slightly and take a second picture, turn the camera slightly yet again to take a subsequent third picture and so on to capture a series of images which collectably would represent 180 degrees of the scene presented to the camera. It is desirable then to display these individual components of the scene in a manner in which a composite panorama results.
Accordingly, it is seen that a need exists for a display frame for photographs and other sheet like documents which is inexpensive, capable of displaying more than one image, capable of being viewed from virtually any angle, and which is particularly well suited to displaying sequential or panoramic images. It is to the provision of such therefore that the present invention is primarily directed.